Pokhara, 3 Sept: Towards transforming education in Nepal, UNESCO, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology/Centre Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD), and USAID Early Grade Learning, in collaboration with the Municipality Association of Nepal (MUAN) and the National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal (NARMIN), are organizing a consultative workshop bringing together Mayors, Deputy Mayors, and Education Planners from approximately 25 rural/municipal areas and 7 Education Development Coordination Units (EDCU) from 31 August to 2 September.
The workshop is designed to share, scale up, and replicate Local Education Plans (LEPs) developed by eight municipalities with technical support from UNESCO. These LEPs, tailored to specific contexts and needs, are inclusive of gender, disability, and media and information literacy, and are set to serve as models for other municipalities.
Representatives from Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Rautamai Rural Municipality, Shahidnagar Municipality, Raksirang Rural Municipality, Dharche Rural Municipality, Bansghadi Municipality, Chandanath Municipality, and Mahakali Municipality will share their lessons, insights, and best practices from their successful LEP development journeys. This collaborative platform is expected to enhance knowledge exchange and collaboration, aiming to elevate the quality of education among participating municipalities.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Hon. Minister Bidhya Bhattarai, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, emphasized on collective leadership and government continuous efforts towards advancing education system in Nepal. “Right to education is guaranteed by our constitution, but strengthening it requires empowering our local governments and our government must be open to hear from people working at the local level. With limited resources allocated for education, we must work together, leveraging our strengths and tackling our weaknesses, to build an inclusive and effective education system,” she added.
As stipulated by the constitution, the federal government is responsible for formulating education plans, policies, and frameworks in alignment with international standards and guidelines. However, as Nepal transitions to a federal system, local governments now have the executive authority to introduce plans, policies, and programs to regulate education at the grassroots level. The replication of these successful models aims to foster a more equitable and inclusive education system, integrating climate-smart education, media and information literacy (MIL), and gender perspectives, among other considerations.
The workshop serves as a strategic platform to strengthen the capacity of other municipalities to adopt and adapt the LEP models to their needs, ensuring inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all. After the workshop, local governments are expected to develop and implement more effective LEPs aligned with national and provincial education policies, addressing the needs of all learners and equipping them with the necessary skills for the digital age.
Michael Croft, UNESCO Representative to Nepal, emphasized that this platform allows the government to hear from those who will bring these plans to life for students and children of their community. He stated, “It is at the local level where education is realized, and that is where our focus is today; local education plans, the delivery mechanisms for education policies and plans on the ground, respond to different contexts and this dialogue provides us a much deeper sense of the challenges and opportunities around them.”
UNESCO remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing the capacities of stakeholders at all levels in Nepal, including local levels, to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, in alignment with SDG 4: Quality Education.
Through the Capacity Development for Education (CapED) Literacy Programme, UNESCO has assisted local government bodies from all seven provinces of Nepal in formulating gender-responsive and inclusive local education plans. Building on the success of the eight municipalities, the workshop focuses on strengthening the capacity of additional municipalities in the adoption, adaptation, development, and implementation of more effective LEPs to advance the education system and quality education in Nepal. #UNESCO
